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Friday, 17 June 2016

BOTSWANA SUPPORTS SWAZILAND AT ILO

The Botswana Government has
been accused by trade unionists in that country of supporting Swaziland’s violation
of workers’ rights.

Botswana Federation of
Trade Unions (BFTU) said members were shocked when Botswana supported
Swaziland, a fellow member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC),
at the recent International Labour Conference (ILO) in Geneva, Switzerland.

Mmegi newspaper
in Botswana reported
on Wednesday (15 June 2016) that BFTU president Bohithetswe Lentswe said that
the government of Swaziland appeared before the committee of application of
standards for violation of right to organise and collective bargaining and
right to freedom of association and protection of the right to organise.

Lentswe said that Botswana
speaking on behalf of SADC as the chair of the regional bloc said that there is
no need for any intervention from the ILO as it noted progress in addressing
the issues by both governments.

In the Swaziland case,
Lentswe said that it was noted that it was the seventh consecutive time the
case was discussed in the conference committee and the kingdom had been
examined 14 times, but Botswana government again said that the Swaziland
government was progressing to implement the convention.

In Swaziland political
parties are banned and King Mswati III rules as sub-Saharan Africa’s last
absolute monarch. King Mswati will take over the chair of SADC in August 2016.

Lentswe added, “The
Botswana government noted with satisfaction the significant progress made by
the convention as amendments have been tabled in Swaziland parliament to create
a conducive environment for effective social dialogue while saying this was
evidenced by the registration of federations of trade unions. Botswana
expressed confidence that SADC would address the issues.”

Lentswe said that this was
wrong coming from SADC chair. He said as the World of Work actors, they
strongly believe in social dialogue and condemn the decision of Botswana to
condone “bad-boy behaviour”.

Lentswe said that the
situation in Swaziland was bad and needed ILO intervention as the government
continued to violate the fundamental right of freedom of association and
protection of the right to organise. He further said that they were happy that
the conference heeded their plea for intervention to send a commission to
assess the situation in the kingdom.